Cordouan Lighthouse
A lighthouse begun in 1584 with a chapel inside it, standing on a sandbank out in the estuary.
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Cordouan stands on a shoal at the mouth of the Gironde, about seven kilometres offshore, and it is the oldest lighthouse in France still working. Louis de Foix began the present tower in 1584 as a monument as much as a light: it has a royal apartment, a chapel with a domed ceiling and stained glass on the second level, and carved pilasters, which is why it is called the king of lighthouses and the lighthouse of kings. It was raised to sixty-eight metres in the 1780s. UNESCO listed it in 2021. Landing depends on tide and sea state, and visitors walk out across the exposed shoal.
What you actually see
- The chapel inside - a domed and glazed chapel within the tower.
- The royal apartment - state rooms built into a working lighthouse.
- The shoal walk - crossing exposed sand from the boat at low tide.
- The lantern - the working light at sixty-eight metres.
When to go
May to September; trips run only on suitable tides and calm seas, so dates are limited and published in advance. Cancellations for weather are common. Booking is essential.
Honest expectations
Trips are few, tide-dependent and cancelled often; there is no guarantee of landing. The visit involves walking on wet sand and climbing about three hundred steps. Nothing on site but the tower.
Nearby
Royan lies northeast; Le Verdon is on the Medoc shore.
What to pack for Cordouan Lighthouse
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
